3. Poles used to perceive foreigners through common stereotypes. This attitude towards people of different race, religion or skin colour changed when Poland joined the European Union in 2004. Since then travellers from various countries have started to cross Polish borders more often as well as we’ve begun to travel abroad and open for other nationalities. This process unavoidably has led to better understanding of differences between European nations and consequently to greater tolerance.

4.  National minorities in Poland.  Warsaw – the place of tolerance.  Festivals of minorities.  Surprising summary.

6.  Approximately 96% of population are Poles.  There are nine national minorities.  The largest is German minority ( 152 897 population ) and about 70% of it lives in Silesia.  Then Belorussians – ( 48 737) nearly 97% of them live in Podlaskie province,  Ukrainians – ( 30 957),  Roms - ( 12 855),  Russians – ( 6103),  Lithuanians – ( 5846),  Jews - ( 2001),  And finally Czechs represent the smallest proportion - ( 1133) 

7. We live near Warsaw - the capital city and that’s why we’re going to focus just on that city. It is a friendly place for other cultures and religions.

8. This theater is the only one in which performances are shown in two languages: Polish and Jewish. There have been performed for example ‘Beauty and the beast’ and ‘Fiddler on the roof’.

9. Jewish theater

10.  It’s an annual parade which is attended by members of different nationalities.  This festival takes place on the last Sunday of August.  There are a lot of attractions, for example: dancing workshops and board games connected with history of France as well as Indian,Georgian or Lebanon meetings presenting their traditional cuisine and culture.

15.  It’s a music festival which has been organized in Zielona Góra since 2008.  The winners of this festival receive gold, silver or brown samovars.  Some of the famous festival guests: Alina Arzt, Arash, Dima Bilan, Michael Bolton, Alexander Rybak and Paweł Sokołow.  The winner of 2013 edition was, our fellow countryman, Michał Szpak who sang ‘Oczy czornyje’ (‘Black eyes’).

17.  This festival takes place in Ciechocinek in the third weekend of July each year.  It’s the biggest Romany event in Europe and also in the whole world.

19. Poland is hospitable to all visitors but particularly to those who worship distinctive cultures and religions. We have in our country inhabitants coming from other, sometimes remote, parts of Europe and we do our best to make them feel at home